The Counsellor
by etherealstar
Summary: Bad boy Zuko NEEDS counseling who else is better for the job than his Highschool crush, Katara.


**The Counsellor  
**Etherealstar

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**Author's notes:** Just one of those OOC one-shots.  
**Disclaimer:** Avatar and Avatar Manga is owned by Nickelodeon and Sitcom. All rights reserved.

**Katara: age 23  
****Zuko: age 24**

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It was half pass eight and the young woman cursed inaudibly under her breath. _Late again, gah, I'm definitely on a role for getting fired. _Sighing at the unfortunate string of events earlier that morning, she drew a long sigh when she thought of her excuse. Considered to be too shabby for a real excuse, the young woman felt like pummeling herself. _My excuse sucks big time. Ugh! What am I gonna say to my boss, a fire burned down my house? _She sighed, _Ugh, I'm so done for!_

Working for prestigious people was a task, but having a boss that keeps an eye on you is another thing. Mr. Iroh. Known among all officials of Tokyo for his lax behavior yet crude ability to see people's flaws became something of her adoration and a menace. He was a great man to have founded the organization but her boss would never take absenteeism lightly even if it was just by a couple minutes. She didn't want to appear to her boss as a lackey, if anything that would never be something she would like to have a stain on. She was a young ambitious woman who hoped to pursue a degree in Psychotherapy, Schizophrenia and Mental Rehabilitation. With the goals and pressure severe, the young professional saw that climbing the ladder of success was already proving to be tough.

Running pass her fellow workers and friends, she couldn't help but notice a group of men dressed in black and red with neatly woven red symbols on their jackets. She wondered for a moment if they were an incorporation who was looking to hire young officials, but with the thought of her lateness, she sighed and drew herself off the list. _Ha! Who're you fooling? You, Katara Takashi be chosen for a top representing job? Oh pulez, you're the queen of lateness, the mistress of absenteeism, pulez, count yourself out one time! _With that written mentally in her head, Katara ran through the office on tall spike hells.

_Really! I don't know what possesses me to wear these, these, shoes to work. Gah, they're such a pain—yeah they look good and get me any guy I want, but heck, do they have to kill my calves and not to mention spoil my skin to some nasty boils. Feh…point proven, enough said._

From down the hall, her friend Suki could see a red flash of light running toward her direction. Coming closer and closer, Suki blinked back when she realized the dash of colour was none other than Katara, who happened to be coming in full run her way. Swallowing and preparing herself that Katara had been mad that she did her manila folders wrong or something of the sort, she crossed her fingers and braced herself for the raving and ranting. But technically speaking, Katara had rarely been the kind of person who snaps and just babbles none stop of people's work, even if it was horrible, that's the kind of person Katara was in the office and that's the kind person everyone liked, not to mention adored. She was the angel of the office, known by many patients as the Female Buddha, this young idealistic woman was simply a rare catch and a important asset to the Iroh Incorporation. Little was known as to why Katara was this way, but many shrug why away and settled for the fact she was just- lovable? Content with that, everybody knew one fault about the angel in the office and that was her terrible potential to lie. Lie as to mean, an excuse to save her life. Katara was a terrible liar, flat said, that known. She is an angel around people and patients but, it seems this angel had one tinsy, itsy problem. That being, she had a thing for being late at the office. Yeah, the boss had been lenient once or twice, even thrice but when it started happening more than the usual, Iroh began to see a different side to Katara. He knew the girl was a good girl, heck she could give Mary Popins a lesson or two on magical perfection, but the kid, gah, she just couldn't keep to a watch. Many swore if her life depended on it, she'd be dead over and over.

Iroh also began taking points away from the young woman, but knowing that she worked equally hard and did her best to make her company, her friends and herself lastly feel important, he often had to consider she was brilliant in what she did.

In reality now, Katara was racing in full stride to her boss's room.

"Good morning Ka--" "Not now Marvin" she held him off passing the man in a dash of colour.

"Okaaay then, so I see she's late again, why does this not surprise me" he thought.

Katara ran to the door not caring she was by now a total mess from head to toes. To start with her 500 dollar Armani jacket and skirt was now ruffled not to mention her 50 dollar hair-straightening job. Then to top things off she swore one of her spike hells were shaky. She thought for a moment it was just the fact she was shaking in fear, but when she stopped at her boss's door she knew it was broken.

_Great, just great! I'm late again and to mention a total mess. Feh, I'm really gonna get fired and I wont say I didn't deserve it. _Holding the door knob in her hand, she took a deep breath and said a silent prayer in her head. Readying herself by counting from 1 – 5, she turned the knob and held her breath to discover the office was, was empty?

_Huh?_ Scratching the back of head in an innocent, clueless manner she looked around the office to find it desolate and bare. _Hmm, the old man must have taken a day off, and just my luck!_ She smiled to herself. She gloated for a minute knowing that she had gotten away from one less lie, which made her feel kind of proud?

Twirling around in her triumph, Katara became dizzy and landed flat on her boss' table. Sprawled awkwardly about the table, she shut her eyes to take in the moment. _Today really is my lucky day. _Thought Katara, but with a sudden streak of good luck going for her, it suddenly came crashing down.

"A-hem," came a new voice to the room.

Immediately Katara's eyes darted open.

_Oh crud! Caught in the act I say. _Knowing that she showed absolutely no possible hint of professionalism or PROFESSIONALISM, she tried to pull herself together and neatly fix herself. With s serious face to match her messy appearance, the young woman sat to the edge of the table trying to be as subservient as possible.

Staring back at her was surprisingly not her boss but joy--his nephew, Zuko. Immediately she scowled. He had sounded so much like his grand-father but Katara should have expected something like this. Especially from the devil himself. Giving a deep scowl and not to mention and audible one, she folded her arms giving a bad-girl look on her face.

Zuko, the man before her looked back at the arrogant woman before him. _I guess some things never change, feh, expected I should have guessed._

"Slacking off on the job are you?" came his snappy statement. His eyes glared at her while his voice mockingly provoked her.

Katara growled. She hated Zuko with a definite passion. She had known Zuko since Highschool and ever since he stood her up at the prom she never forgave him, even after years of working in the commercial world, she kept her business serious and her love affairs limited and that meant no Zuko what so ever.

"I see you're here for no reason again. My, why is this not surprisingly?" she gave a bored out face, even topping it off with a fake yawn.

He was angered by the woman. She was infuriating and yet even if he was the nephew of Iroh and partial owner to Iroh Inc. the woman did little to respect him, in fact she did no respecting of him permanently. She was a two-face woman with everything evil wrapped around her. One minute she could appear to his uncle as a shining angel with everything just perfect about her, but behind his back uncoiled a devilish surprise. With stout red horns and a pointy fork, Zuko only saw the devil that she was. Zuko thought for a moment how a measly woman could be so insufferable, maddening and sickening all at once, then again he expected nothing less from Katara.

"Touché" he dropped his voice lowly.

"What's the matter Zuko-shmko, getting a lil weepy are you?" she mocking teased, her eyes all devious as she stared without one care for him.

"No…but trust me when I say that your job can be cut as easy as one two three" he gave a complacent smirk. Seeing the scowl on her face, he broaden his smirk knowing that he had the upper hand.

It was the sound of footsteps that brought the angered couple to reality once again. Entering behind his nephew was Iroh himself. Walking in a lazy stride, he stopped between the two.

"Ah, I see you've two met. Zuko this is Katara, Katara, Zuko" he said.

"Now, I'm actually glad you two met. In fact there's nobody better for this job than the woman before you"

Zuko arched a brow and then shook his head, "uncle, w-what are you talking about?" Zuko was becoming worried. He made an appointment to see a 'certain' person, but right now he was guessing that he wouldn't be seeing this, 'certain' person.

"Miboy, this is Katara, she's a young professional who professions in Psychotherapy, Schizophrenia and Mental-disorder"

Zuko smirked, "I wonder why.."

Katara shot him a look of annoyance.

"Anyways, since she's been such a success amongst the patients, I've decided that there's no better person for the job than Katara. And knowing you're my nephew you get the best of the best."

"What?" both said

"For some reason I get the fact that there's tension here. Can somebody kindly fill me in?" Iroh asked.

Katara being curt and giftedly receptive shot her sentence: nothing is going on sir, nothing at all.

Lies, thought Zuko.

"In fact, I find myself honoured and flattered sir that you would chose me over everyone for your most **_gra_**cious nephew" she emphasized by gritting her teeth.

_Tsk, tsk, tsk. Can't keep her hate off of me just for one second._

"Ah, well your welcome my child. Now, you two better get a move on, I have some work myself to do and oh my, look at the time, I'm already late. Well, you two run along"

Katara plastered a smile for her boss and stopped at the door, "coming Mr. Zuko?" she tried to remain professional, but Zuko knew otherwise.

He rolled his eyes and followed her.

* * *

Zuko lied on the lazy boy couch while Katara read through some papers on her chair. She read about Zuko's aggression and depression. Knowing since from Highschool the kind of dope he was, she couldn't actually deny it wouldn't have affected his already fat-head.

_Hmm…says here bucko is depressed? Depressed, it would never seem as if the arrogant fat-head would ever be depressed, but feh, what do I know?_

Zuko waited patiently for his "enemy" to help out. She'd been reading papers ever since they got to her office. And even after fifteen minutes of over doing it, she still wasn't done. Zuko wondered if the audacity of the woman would ever cease.

Fumbling with his fingers lazily, Zuko saw a globe and couldn't help but spin it in sear boredom. Spinning it just a bit faster, it was stopped by a tall finger.

"It's not a toy Zuko" she said.

He growled, "well g-ddamn analyze my case quicker onna (woman), I have lackeys who work faster than you"

"Well excuse me if I'm trying to analyze your sorry depressed butt" she glared him.

"How dare you!" he growled, "no respect, not even for the patient"

"Ah, newsflash Zuko, you're not my patient, you're a jerk. And there's nothing patient about that. Yah?"

"You're a pain you know, a pain in the rare end"

"Happy to know I'm always going to be your pain" she muttered softly.

"What was that woman?" he growled.

"Nothing, now stop being nosy and lets begin!" she tapped the pen and began.

Zuko leaned into the chair and rubbed his temples.

_With the rate we're going I could see myself paranoid for the rest of my life. _

"Now it says here you're depressed…" she spoke.

"Yeh, and?"

"Look, Zuko, its one thing when I try to be nice, it's a next thing when I have a bratty little punk in front of me, so, some word of advice, just be cooperative and just maybe we can both get out this alive. Who knows!"

"Agreed." He paused, "and yes I'm depressed"

"What do you think is triggering it?" she asked.

"Well, I've had a lot of incidents in my life which I guess has really beaten me up. My father departed you know" he said.

Katara gave him a look, _I don't even know if I'm feeling sorry…_

"And then it was really hard growing up with no mother or father and just having an uncle to deal with as my only source of family. Yeah, it was rough." He paused to bitter a moment, "a lot of things could have been better in my life…" he said.

"Like what?" Katara scribbled down some stuff on a notepad.

He drew a sigh, "like my love life for one" he gave a small smirk. "My friendship and interaction could have been easier. It's like sometimes I don't seem to fit in because I'm troubled by all these different elements of confusion. I try my best to not take it on, but hey how's a guy to combat those stuff?" he bit his lip, "my uncle was supportive of all my aspirations and notions in life, in fact, if you hadn't busted my butt in highschool at the science awards, maybe I'd actually have gone to Tokyo University. Of course, that being past, should remain there."

"And how does that make you feel?" she asked.

"Depressed?"

"Urh, right." She paused to look at what she wrote, "So tell me where aggression poses a threat?" she asked.

"Well, ever since prom I had a temper. Always kept one and people gave me horrid nicknames because of it. As a teen having a sensitive point after prom, I was so pressured into my jaded and angst-filled world. I tried to make friends with people, but instead of having friends, I made enemies. I tried to mingle with people and live my life knowing I was a good kid." He spoke, "but even after all the torture and all the crud of my teenage days, I guess it never left. Today, what you see before you isn't the face of a man gone bad in a year or two, it's the face of man whose been corrupted with a haunting pass." He said.

"So friends tortured you and called you names because of temper..but Zuko, why did you develop a hatred after prom?" she asked.

"I dunno" he said.

"Very well" she tapped the pen under her chin, "were you ever pressured into drugs and that sort of stuff?"

"No…" he paused, "maybe I was a kid growing up to be a bad person, but I wasn't a kid looking for answers or relief in drugs and alcohol and stuff. I didn't see any peace in those sorts of things. The picture I always got was gloom and I tried my best to keep away from things that may screw me inside out." He said

"So why didn't you go to your uncle for some sort of help you moron?" she asked.

"Because" he gritted his teeth, "my uncle like me was very depressed over his brother's death, stupid. Not to mention, he was already taking on a load by just taking me in."

"Can't blame him there" she teased.

"Ha ha"

"So, if you could undo this drama and pain in your life would you undo it?" she asked.

"What kind of question is that woman?" he asked.

"Urh, sir dorkalot, it's a question, so just answer it" she said.

"Probably I would undo my pass…but then again, I wouldn't be as strong as I would be now. Believe me woman, it was because of my pass I struggled to be to the top. Yeah, I know it sounds weird but my past was somehow motivation to go from this mode of starvation to the top of fat riches and everything. So in a sense its yes and no"

"That's not an answer"

"Yeh well woman that's what you get"

"Excuse me?"

"Look woman, I know you're not keen on the fact that if you mess this up I'm not a paying you a cent so let me make it crystal, if you screw this up say ta ta to your money 'coz I'm not one to pay for bad service, understand?" he asked

She growled, "fine, royal pain in the hinny"

"That's better, now don't ever call me that again"

"You're not my father to tell me what to do"

"Who would want to be the father of a girl who resembles a wildebeest?" he asked.

She gasped. "I'll have you take that back right this moment. Apologize Zuko" she said.

"Pu-lez, I apologize to no one, including ugly girls who have absolutely no sense in a social life. Not that I blame yuh, especially with that face of yours, hmm, those friends of yours might be getting a scare to beware, yeh?" he lashed out, flashing a tooth grin.

"You think you're so clever" she glared him daggers. "At least I don't have to go for counseling. Yeah, maybe I'm ugly but I'm definitely not a loser who can't control his problems, heck you have more problems than a woman. Sheesh Zuko, now I feel kind of bad for you, I actually thought you were an alpha-male, but hearing the soap opera of a story you call your life, I'm getting the impression you're a damn anti-man." She bluntly attacked.

"You blasted wretch!" he cursed.

"Come now Zuko, is that all you got, I expected more. Tsk, I guess its understood coming from an 'anti-man'" she teased.

"You'll pay for every word you ever said"

"Blah, blah, blah! Your threats are colourless as you are tasteless. Give me a break bucko, who do you think you are, the emperor of Japan. Like hello, I don't think so!" she teased.

"I'm not paying you to rattle me with complacent attacks woman, and I swear if this is the kind of service you run then I can find the door myself" he said.

She said nothing. "Very well" she paused, "it says here your love life has been hard…why?" she asked.

"I'm not sure" he said.

"Are you sure of anything except your name?" she asked.

"Why don't you shut your face" he slammed back.

"Hmm…cute Zuko, real cute" she rolled her eyes.

He tapped his fingers and waited for the questions again. "What turns you off from love Zuko?" she asked.

"Ugly girls"

"And what's that suppose to mean?" she asked.

"Probably girls who resemble you"

"And now I see why you're cursed. It's that attitude of us. There's your problem, that attitude of yours is the reason for your downfall, for your days and nights of sleeplessness. In a manner of being professional and straight forward, it's lose the attitude and regain your life." She spoke, "oh look at the time, its 10:25am, our session is over, I'll see you on Thursday at 9am buh-bye" she said.

"No, noo" he said.

Katara sighed, "what now?"

"No, I paid you, my uncle advised me to you and I want to see some results"

"I told you the remedy Mr. Zuko. If you cant remember like the many important things that you've forgotten then I'll repeat myself, lose the attitude" she said.

"But how? I don't want to keep hurting people"

"Wow I really didn't know you cared especially after all you've done to some of us" she said.

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"Oh, nothing" she said

"This is about prom isn't it?" he asked.

"I refrain from bringing up anything that does not pertain to the current subject" she said.

"I despise you! This has everything to do with prom and you know it woman. You know the only reason we get on like complete enemies is because of prom. Admit it, I hurt you--and looking it over, I can't quite say it was wrong" he teased.

She snapped at the statement. "Wrong? Wrong, is that the word you chose? Oh boy you're psycho, psycho in for real." She paused, "how could you say that Zuko, do you know how much I cried on that night?" she asked.

"Did I touch a sensitive spot?"

"Damn you bastard. Damn you!"

"It couldn't be that bad"

"I was the only girl that night without a date. Even nerdy Betty had a date, but me, one of the friendliest girls hadn't had a date all night. It was horrible Zuko, knowing I waited for hours and hours just seeing all my friends laughing and dancing and having a great time. And there I was, sitting, all by myself in this corner with tears down my face praying you would come. And as the hours went by, the night became later and later until I was the last one standing in this lone auditorium with nothing but a slow song playing. I wished so much you would have ran through the door and just had one dance, just one with me. But I wanted too much. You never came. I stood there all alone, just me and the sad melody waltzing to each other. I went home that night crying my heart out and I swore on everything of my good being I would never make you happy or be anything to you. You don't deserve happiness and what's the odds fate that your life is so sucked up"

Silence swept them both. A thick tension growing in the room.

"I didn't want to miss prom night Katara" he finally said.

"So what, you just missed it for missing sake?" she asked.

"No. I missed it because of a big thing in my life" he said.

"Liar. You wanted me stand me up all along admit it" she said.

"Oh gah woman, would you shut up and listen"

"I'm listening"

"The only reason I didn't come to prom night was because my dad died. It was cruel timing. I know you wanted me to come, I wanted to be there too. Hell, I wanted to see you win prom queen and wave at me and I'd be the lucky champ who has a hot girlfriend, but fate took a cruel twist on me. My dad died and because it's a death I'm dealing with, I had to be with him."

"So why didn't you call me to say something"

"Because my dad was holding on for me Katara. I spoke to dad through his last moments and I wanted to be at his side. I was selfish yes, I wanted to be at his side and tell him everything will be alright, but when he slipped away" Zuko winced, "sorrow kicked in. I found myself clutching onto my father's corpse, bawling for him to wake. My life was my father and his death killed the old Zuko and caved way for this one before you." He said.

Katara, for the first time hearing the truth that she never knew swallowed. "S-so you mean, all these years that I've, well, we've hated each other, we could have actually been friends?"

"I guess that's how it seems"

"Your father" she whispered in realization

"What?"

"Your father is the reason for everything Zuko. Your attitude derived as a result of losing your father who was a very strong element to the stable-you, but when he died, the stable-you became this… you" she said.

"How can I heal Katara?" he asked. She could see piercing in his eyes were sincerity and frail hope.

Knowing she couldn't destroy that, she sat on the chair and said with a smile, "let an element of your past come back to your present" she said.

"Huh, in my language please" he said.

"Let me come back into your present"

"But you're already in my present"

"No, not like that…something that should have been a long time ago"

"You mean…as, as…that?" Zuko asked.

"I-If t-that's okay with you and all"

Zuko looked at Katara in uncertainty. For a moment he took a minute to digest the fact that enemy wants to be the friend.

"What am I suppose to say Katara. Just a moment ago we were both enemies gurgling attacks back and fought, now its not so anymore. What am I suppose to do. I really don't know" he said.

Katara sat on the lazy boy couch, "Zuko, I know you've struggled with your teenage years, but I was a reason for it too. You see if I was there, maybe you would have had somebody to comfort you, and perhaps my friends wouldn't have called you names and hate you that bad. Maybe you'd be less troubled. I know this is very hard to swallow, but, instead of seeing me as one of the contributors to pain, maybe I could help you by becoming what I suppose to be to you a long time ago" she said.

"A girlfriend?"

"Urh, well…" odd tension swept the room. "Technically I'm a girl, not a wildebeest, and I'm your friend, kind of, sort of, anyways…so its like that" she said.

"Alright Katara. I oblige" he said.

She smiled.

* * *

**Four months later:**

Zuko and Katara walk hand in hand through the park. Katara leans in on Zuko's shoulder watching the cherry blossoms fall to the ground.

"I love cherry blossoms" she said.

"Hmm, me too" he rests his head on hers.

"Ever thought this would have happened" she felt his hand around her waist.

"No…after prom I gave up in our love. But I'm glad I've found you back and your counseling did me well" he said.

She smiled, "I'm glad too" she kissed his ear. "I really missed you Zuko, after all those years…" he touched her lips with a finger, "that's why we will never speak of it again" she was about to open her mouth when he cut her off to a heart-melting kiss, "but nothing"

Katara dreamily sighed to herself while nestling her head against Zuko's chest and having her hands enrapt around her lover. Life couldn't have been any better…

"Katara?"

"Yeh"

"Remember you were telling me about how you danced with yourself on prom night?"

"Yeah…why?" She gave a quizzical look.

"Well, if it isn't too late to ask, may I have that dance that I've missed? I'd surely like to make it up to you"

"N-Now, here? In front all these people?"

"Who cares whose watching, I wanna dance"

She blushed, "alright Zuko" she whispered softly, "then let's dance"

And with the world as their witness these two lovers took their first dance to the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

* * *

**:.:The End:.:**

Thank you for reading/skimming, I hope you enjoyed it. It was my pleasure to create it! A blessed day to all. Bye bye my friends.


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